Women's Golfer Lorena Ochoa Wins First Title of Season at NCAA Fall Preview

By: Arizona Athletics
Release: September 26, 2001

Photo Courtesy: Arizona Athletics

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Sept. 26, 2001

AUBURN, Wash.-Arizona sophomore Lorena Ochoa won her first tournament championship of the season Wednesday at the NCAA Fall Preview, after tournament officials cancelled the third round due to rain and determined the 36-hole totals would be the final results. The Wildcats finished in 11th place as a team with a two-round total of 606.

The NCAA Fall Preview, which features the top teams from last year's NCAA Championships, was shortened to a two-round event in 2000, as well. Auburn and Texas were tied with identical scores of 15-over-par 591 after two rounds, but Auburn was awarded the title by way of NCAA playoff policy which states the winning school will be decided by the cumulative total of all five players.

Ochoa used consecutive sub-par rounds of 71 and 68 to claim her first title of the season with a two-round total of 5-under-par 139. The Guadalajara, Mexico, native completed the second round this morning after officials postponed action Tuesday due to standing water on the greens. The tournament committee decided to cancel the third round at 12:05 p.m. PDT.

"She is a coach's dream come true," Arizona head coach Greg Allen said of Ochoa. "She has the total package when it comes to golf."

The 2001 NCAA Fall Preview marks Ochoa's fifth career championship. She now owns a streak of 10 straight tournaments where she has finished in either first, second or third place. Ochoa has also earned a top-10 finish in every collegiate tournament she has competed in.

Junior Laura Myerscough wrapped up play with a two-round total of 8-over-par 152, while junior Anne Lee shot a two-round score of 11-over-par 155. Myerscough and Lee, both key members of a lineup that won six tournaments last season, finished tied for 41st and 64th places, respectively.

Also scoring for Arizona were the Kraschinski sisters. Freshman Miriam Kraschinski fired two rounds of 8-over-par 80 to close action tied for 93rd place at 16-over-par. Junior Julia Kraschinski, who missed the majority of the 2000-2001 season with back injuries, finished in 118th place.

Arizona's women's golf team is next in action Oct. 8 when they return to the Pacific Northwest for the Oregon State Invitational at Trysting Tree Golf Club, site of the Wildcats' 20-stroke victory at last season's NCAA West Regional.